Like perfect music set to noble words.
FOOTNOTES:
[51] Queen Victoria, by Sidney Lee, p. 349.
[52] Ollivier, L'Empire Libéral, vii. p. 455.
[53] Sir Theodore Martin was asked by the Queen to give her a précis of a very long and unintelligible letter of Mr. Gladstone purporting to explain the Irish Church Disestablishment Bill (Queen Victoria as I knew Her, by Sir Theodore Martin).—Ed.
OLD-AGE PENSIONS[ToC]
There are many signs that the question of old-age pensions is destined to assume a great prominence in England; although it is probable that the large increase of national expenditure which is certain to follow the unhappy war in South Africa may, for some time, postpone actual legislation on the subject. The generation has passed away which witnessed the enormous abuses of Poor Law relief that existed, under the old English Poor Law, before 1834, and the rapid diminution of pauperism that was effected by the sterner administration introduced in that year.